


Life's Little Surprises

by Chillmaster3000



Series: Portals, Demons, & Bastards [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Political Animals, Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Fluff, Multi, Raising Super Kids, blast from the past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 06:06:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12102402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chillmaster3000/pseuds/Chillmaster3000
Summary: Ben, Caleb, and Eliza deal with strange happenings that are becoming the status quo for their family. Anne and Douglas finally get married, an old friend arrives, and Caleb's work comes home with him.Mini-stories that take place between Monsters Human and Demonic and the next big story. These started as a preface to the next big one, but they just didn't fit after a while. Hopefully they will make up for the delay between postings!





	1. The Wedding

“So,” Ellen, Ben’s favorite colleague says at his first lunch back at work, “how’s the family?”

“Well,” Ben answers with a slight hesitation, “we’re certainly not bored.”

*

Douglas and Anne ended up inviting Elaine, Margaret, and Bud to their wedding after all- a Presidential death will change perspectives on these things. Still, the wedding remained small and private, exactly how the two wanted it.

Steve and Anne collaborated on the decor of the backyard, which until that point was empty. They lined it with large gold planters and planted pale flowers in each one. Caleb provided an arching trellis with a suspiciously crafted design, and Anne wrapped gold ribbon through it. Steve and Nat put pretied golden bows around the planters and the trellis one afternoon, followed by Ben, Caleb, and T.J. putting string lights around most of the yard that evening. By the time Eliza and Susannah were ready to have people over for extended periods of time, it was like a whole new space. 

The ceremony is performed by Diomara, the witch and ordained minister. There are a few raised eyebrows at the attractive woman in the long black dress, but the ceremony itself is quite beautiful. Douglas and Anne swear to cherish each other as long as they both live, to support and to care for each other. Nat brings up the rings with intense seriousness- they had impressed upon him that the rings were not to be lost or played with, and he was very focused on being sure the rings got to the destination. Once he got the rings to the happy couple, Nat is scooped up into T.J.’s arms where he can relax a little. He’s the first to clap when the ceremony is finished with Douglas and Anne kissing. Everything was going just fine. Then the small party moved to the food Douglas had ordered and a spoon flew across the yard. 

*

“What the hell?” Bud rubs the side of his head where the spoon hit him. Caleb and Diomara are frozen in place, which scares the hell out of Ben, but they recover quickly. Caleb, near the table where Ben sits, jabs Steve with his elbow.

“Oh! I am so sorry!” Steve exclaims. “It just flew right out of my hand!” Apart from the man standing next to him and the Tallmadge family sitting nearby, no one saw the spoon come from the end of the folding tables the food was set on, not Steve’s hand. Everyone else goes back to the festivity while Diomara hurries over to the table. She gets down between Eliza and the chair with Susannah’s carrier sits.

“What just happened?” Caleb says in a forcedly happy tone.

“I think your second born is flexing her muscles,” Diomara says. She puts two fingers on Susannah’s forehead and hums. Eliza and Ben look at each other and then to Caleb.

“What muscles are those, exactly?” Eliza asks. 

“Well, spoon over about thirty feet, that’d have to be telekinesis,” Caleb says. “Are you sure there aren’t any mutants in your family, Liza Love?”

“As sure as I can be without knowing one of my grandparents,” Eliza replies. 

“Yeah, I don’t think this is a mutation,” Diomara says. She rubs Susannah’s forehead before standing back up. “But this little stinker was definitely the one throwing that spoon. Apparently somebody told her your dad was being a jerkface over there.” Diomara throws Nat a look and he wrinkles his nose.

“He was being a jerkface. Didn’t tell her to throw things,” he says in his defense. Ben can’t help the smile he gets as Eliza sighs.

“So that was all Susannah’s doing then, the throwing of things?” Ben says. Nat nods. “She must have gotten that spirit from Uncle Caleb.”

“Yeah, and Nat got the blame-shifting from you,” Caleb says. Ben laughs and Eliza puts her head in her hands. 

“Steve, take my advice and never marry a pair of wise-asses,” she says. 

“Duly noted,” Steve answers. “It’s not a crime to hit the former President with a spoon, right? Fury said I’m not supposed to get arrested before they have all my documentation ready.”

*

Once Susannah discovered she can make things move, there was no more quiet at the house. Everything below a certain weight (about three pounds) was fair game for her to send careening into a wall, person, window, or, on one particularly memorable occasion, through the hall to the stairs. They then found out that Susannah loses control after enough distance and the offending bottle of baby powder banged its way down every step, coating everything in a fine white powder. 

At his wit’s end, Ben put Susannah in her carrier and sat down right in front of her. With as much patience as he could muster, Ben explained that while it was entertaining to watch things zip around the house, the adults did not enjoy having to clean up the mess left by these entertainments, and Susannah had to practice some restraint in what she sent flying. Susannah watched him talk, blinking and drooling, and then a rattle hit him in the chest. He thinks it was a peace offering, because things flew less after that.

“Oh, she did not get that from me,” Caleb said when Ben told him that. “That is all you, Tallboy.”


	2. The New Colleague

“Well, it’s good to hear Nat is adjusting to being a big brother,” Ellen says. Ben gives a small smile as Ellen spears some more of her chili carrots. He couldn’t quite tell her about Susannah’s new abilities, but he could tell her about Susannah and Nat. After all, Ellen has been a parent longer than Ben has.

Ellen works with Ben in the Smithsonian’s artifact handling department. He deals with written artifacts and she deals with the rest. Ellen is a short, beautiful woman with a warm smile and hair that is fought over by Ellen and the sun: she dyes it one shade of brown, the sun turns it three different shades of brown as well as red and gold. Ben considers her one of the smartest people he’s ever met. Her cutting intellect is matched only by the sharpest wit of all the restorers and archivists Ben’s met in the Smithsonian circles. But all of that melts away when you put an artifact in her hands. The second Ellen gets her hands on an artifact, her eyes light up and she gushes about where it’s been, what it’s seen, who used it and who loved it- or hated it. Ellen writes the descriptions for the exhibits, and Ben has heard her persuade many a designer and curator to make room for the longer descriptions. Ellen, mysteriously, always wins those disagreements. Ben’s a big fan of people who can do that.

“He’s taken to it exceptionally,” Ben says. “We shouldn’t have been worried, he’s always been so sweet.”

“We all worry when the new baby comes home,” Ellen says. “Worried both times I brought the new sibling home, but I didn’t need to. Worst we got was ‘when do you take him back’ with the very youngest.” Ben laughs. 

“We haven’t gotten that yet,” he says. Ellen grins at him until her phone buzzes with an alert. She looks down at it.

“Oh, shoot, I’ve got to go meet the new antiquity coordinator,” she says. “I have to get going-”

“That’s fine. You go on,” Ben says. Ellen packs up the remains of her lunch.

“I’ll try to bring the new guy by your office later,” she says. “I hear he’s got a stick up his ass but I can usually get past that.”

“I have great faith in you,” Ben replies. Ellen laughs and picks up her lunchbag. 

“See you later, Ben!” 

*

Two hours later, T.J. has appeared in Ben’s office. Why, Ben can’t be sure. T.J. keeps talking about returns and fiscal quarters while Ben is trying to translate a particularly tricky document. This already difficult task is made harder by T.J. sitting on part of the desk, taking up valuable space, and chattering. Ben is considering asking T.J. to print him out more copies of the document photos when the office door opens.

“Ben, is now an okay time?” He looks up to see Ellen leaning in his doorway, someone standing behind her. Ben glances at T.J., who shrugs.

“Now is fine. T.J. can continue later,” Ben says, glad for a reprieve. Ellen comes in with her companion. It takes a second, but Ben recognizes him with an icy jolt to his gut.

“Ben, this is our new antiquities coordinator, Robert Townsend,” Ellen says. “Robert, this is Ben Tallmadge, one of our top translators, and his brother-in-law, Thomas Hammond.”

“Call me T.J.” T.J. slides off the desk and holds out his hand to a very composed Robert Townsend. Townsend, who had been eyeing a stunned Ben, takes T.J.’s hand with a polite nod.

“A pleasure, T.J.,” Townsend says. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well.” T.J. grins, despite the reminder of the overdose. 

“The pleasure is all mine, Robert,” he says. Townsend smirks. The smirk drops when he turns back to Ben, who has come over as well.

“Mr. Tallmadge,” Townsend says with a curt dip of his head. Ben holds out his own hand, which Townsend takes with more reluctance. Townsend’s hand is cold and he shakes with precise motion.

“Mr. Townsend. I look forward to working with you,” Ben says. “I’ve heard excellent things.” 

“How kind of you to say,” Townsend replies. “Ellen tells me you’re working on the Randolph document. How are you finding it?” His tone is flat, as it has been through the conversation, but Ben can’t help the feeling of being tested.

“It’s a challenge, one I am enjoying solving,” Ben says. Townsend’s smirk returns. 

“We’ll have to leave you to it, then,” he says. “Ellen is taking me around all the archives. I’ll check in with you later, Mr. Tallmadge.” Townsend turns back to T.J. “Delighted to make your acquaintance, T.J.” Townsend then looks back at Ellen, who’s been watching the proceedings with great interest. She pretends she hasn’t when Townsend looks to her.

“Let’s get going then,” she says. “Nice seeing you, T.J.” 

“You too,” T.J. says. Townsend follows Ellen out. Ben goes back to his desk to get his phone.

“Dude,” T.J. says. “Can you believe that?” Ben picks up his phone.

“I’m having a bit of a hard time with it myself,” he says. “How could he be here?”

“I know! Here, of all places!” T.J. says, throwing his hands up in the air. Ben nods, texting Caleb what happened.

“And to have found me, in the whole world of 2012-”

“Wait, what?” Ben looks up to see T.J. staring at him.

“I know him,” Ben says. “He was a member of the Culper Ring. Isn’t that what you were referring to?”

“No,” T.J. says slowly. “I was referring to the cute guy who responded to my flirting. What do you mean he’s a part of Culper? That was two hundred years ago!”

“I’m aware of that, which is why I’m shocked to see him,” Ben says. “He was responding to your flirting?” T.J. makes a face.

“Dude, I’m a master. I know when someone is receptive to my flirting,” he says. Ben’s phone rings and he can’t really say anything to that remark. 

“Yes?” Ben says. 

“What the fuck is Townsend doing in your museum?” Caleb demands. 

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t have texted you that question,” Ben answers. “Get over here, would you?” 

*

Ben does kick T.J. out of his office after that, telling him to go back to his own job. Caleb arrives shortly after that. He searches the whole of Ben’s office and then Townsend’s office for any sign of supernatural interference.

“There can’t be nothing,” Ben says incredulously when Caleb returns. Caleb shrugs. 

“I’m not picking up anything. Are you sure you saw Townsend?” he says. Ben stiffens. 

“Yes.” His tone is icy and Caleb winces.

“That’s not what I meant,” Caleb says. “I meant are you sure it’s the same Robert Townsend? It could be genetic coincidence, a great-grandson or something?” 

“Robert Townsend didn’t have any children. I looked up every member of the Ring once I got here, I looked up everyone we knew,” Ben says. “Robert Townsend had an adoptive son and that was it. And he knew who I was. He wasn’t happy to see me at all.”

“Right. That does sound like him,” Caleb says with a nod. “Which begs the question of how our Quaker got here without any traces of magic or without SHIELD noticing.”

“Are you sure they didn’t notice?” Ben says. “They could have kept it from you.”

“It’s entirely possible,” Caleb admits, scowling. “I did have a long talk with Phil about the possibility of time travelling people, but Fury might keep things from me regardless.” There is a knock at the door. Both men freeze. 

“Mr. Tallmadge?” Townsend’s voice comes through, flat as ever. “May I have a word?”

“Come in, Mr. Townsend,” Ben calls. Townsend opens the door. His eyes land on Caleb and he grimaces.

“Brewster’s here as well. How wonderful,” Townsend says. “I can only assume the rest of the Culper Ring is waiting somewhere to make their appearance?” 

“It’s just the three of us, far as we know,” Brewster says. “You know otherwise?” Townsend shakes his head. He clasps his hands behind his back. 

“I know very little. I know that I am here, despite living a long, full life in the 18th century, and now I have found the two of you,” Townsend says. “I do seem to recall hearing that Major Benjamin Tallmadge and his family disappeared sometime in 1784, followed by Caleb Brewster taking off on the high seas without returning.” He steps forward with raised brows. 

“You’re correct. I was pulled out of 1784 into 2012, along with my wife and our son,” Ben says. “Caleb made sure he was here as well.”

“Did you say you lived a full life?” Caleb says, rather than elaborate. Townsend nods.

“I died at the age of eighty-four,” he says. “I recall it rather well. I do not recall anything after that until I awoke in a bed in an apartment with an entire life seemingly prepared for me.”

“Really,” Caleb says. “Just...prepared for you.”

“Believe me, I am as bewildered by it as you are,” Townsend says. “Perhaps you can provide an explanation. The two of you seem to know plenty about this century.”

“I helped build this century,” Caleb retorts. “And there ain’t nothing I’ve seen that could just bring you into it with a whole life just prepared. Not even magic can do all that.”

“Magic?” Townsend starts to laugh. “You must be joking! There’s no such thing as magic!” He laughs, but Ben and Caleb just stare at him until he stops. His expression becomes grave. “Oh, Good Lord. The two of you with access to magic is the stuff of nightmares.”

“Thank you, Townsend, we appreciate your vote of confidence,” Ben says drily. “Us two with magic is your sole chance to find out why you’re here. So unless you’d like to live in the dark on that, you’re going to have to work with us on that.” Townsend purses his lips. 

“I suppose,” he says. “I must ask you a favor, though, in exchange for my full cooperation.”

“And what is that?” Ben asks. 

“I’d like your brother-in-law’s phone number,” Townsend says. “He is...very handsome.” Ben and Caleb pause, looking at each other.

“Would Eliza kill us for giving out T.J.’s number?” Caleb says in an undertone. 

“Townsend’s responsible and kind-hearted. I don’t think she’ll mind,” Ben replies. “And T.J. thinks he’s cute.” Caleb shrugs.

“Okay, Townsend, but fair warning- you break his heart, we break your legs.”

*

Months later, the combined powers of Caleb, Barton, and Romanoff have turned up nothing on Townsend’s sudden introduction to the 21st century. T.J.’s wooing of the former Quaker has had much more success and Ben is seeing the man more than he did in their native time period.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering why Ellen got so much descriptive love, there are two reasons. One is that she is going to be important in a later story, and the second is that she is based on my mom, who loves Turn and asked if she could be in the story. Mom is the one who got me into Turn so these stories wouldn't exist without her!
> 
> There will be more with Rob later. I'm very happy for the chance to write him, I rarely write stories where he can come play.


	3. Otto the Octopus

Caleb had been gone for three days to deal with some sort of magical incident. Apparently, entire buildings were disappearing overnight and Caleb had a plan for how to stop that. Ben may have accused him of trying to avoid diaper duty rather than actually having a plan, but Caleb went off and the other two split the joy of changing newborn diapers. 

When Caleb finally returns, Steve is also at the house, helping Eliza and Ben plan the backyard setup for Anne and Douglas’ wedding in a few weeks. He is the first to hear Caleb talking to his cargo.

“Settle down, you. There’ll be plenty of food in just a minute.” Caleb comes into the kitchen with a large planter pot in his arms. That wouldn’t be so remarkable if it weren’t for the swaying purple tentacles draped over the lip of the pot. 

“Caleb,” Eliza says in an even voice. “What the hell is that?” Caleb looks at the three adults gathered at the kitchen table, then back at his cargo. 

“This is Otto,” he says, meeting their gazes once again. “I got him for the house. He’ll be like a guard dog, cept he’ll clean up mess rather than make it.” Caleb brings the pot over to the table and sets it in front of Steve. The tentacles begin waving around. “You may not want to touch him just yet, though.”

“Why, what happens if we touch it?” Ben says. Nat is already walking towards the table with his hands outstretched, so Ben scoops him up quickly.

“Otto is still a little untrained at the moment and he may try to eat you,” Caleb admits. “Diomara’s making him a little charm so he won’t hurt us or friendlys. It’ll be ready tonight. In the meantime, we train him to eat garbage.” Caleb goes over to the trashcan by the counter. He takes the bag out of the can and brings it to Otto. The purple tentacles wave excitedly as Caleb holds the bag over it. 

“Caleb-” Eliza’s warning is cut off by Caleb dropping the bag onto Otto. The tentacles catch the bag and begin stuffing it into the center of the pot.

“Bon appetit, Otto,” Caleb says. 

“Bon appetit!” Nat repeats, clapping his hands. The bag slowly disappears. Ben is mildly impressed.  
“That could have been very messy,” Steve observes. 

“This could solve the landfill problem,” Eliza says, eyes glittering. “A few of these in a dump could clear out those mounds of trash-”

“Exactly my thinking, Liza Love,” Caleb says proudly. “There was a whole pack of these babies eating buildings, so me and Barton relocated them to landfills and waste pits all over the place. Should help out a bit.”

“That’s fantastic!” Eliza says. 

“You were saying something about this being a guard dog?” Ben asks. Caleb nods.

“Once Diomara sets up the charms, we can plant him outside,” he says. “Anyone tries to intrude, Otto will grab them up and eat them. Diomara will make it so they actually end up in a pocket dimension and not die, so we can actually see who it was, but still.”

“That works,” Ben says, nodding. “Maybe you should keep him outside before that, in case of little hands being curious…” He has to keep Nat from leaning to Otto again. 

“Oh, yeah,” Caleb says. “I’ll do that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otto came from a dream I had one night. The concept was so interesting I wrote this little thing for him. I hope it's as amusing for you guys as it is for me.

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who watched PA, you know that Douglas cheated on Anne before they got married (I think just before Eliza had the baby in terms of my stories). I don't know if I am going to keep that and address that in my work at this point, so if you guys have feelings about this, I'd love to hear it.


End file.
